JAKARTA: Chairs, wheels and other parts of a crashed Indonesian Lion Air
jet were hauled from the depths Friday (Nov 2), as authorities analysed
black box data that may explain why the new plane plummeted into the
Java Sea, killing 189 people.
Search teams have been scouring the seabed for the fuselage of the
Boeing-737 MAX 8, which plunged into the waters off Indonesia's northern
coast shortly after takeoff Monday despite only having been in service a
few months.

"Today we will start diving (again) at the spot where we think the plane
crashed," said Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy's
search-and-rescue division.

"There is a lot of little debris, plane wheels, and chairs - all totally destroyed and in pieces."

Divers were searching an area about 25-35m deep, but have been finding fewer body parts than earlier in the week, he added.

"They're scattered everywhere and some may have been washed away by the current."

Dozens of body bags containing remains have been recovered from the crash site so far.

On Thursday, authorities said they had recovered one of the plane's
black boxes, which airlines are required to install in jets, as well as
parts of its landing gear.

The black box could offer investigators their best chance of discovering
why such a new jet crashed. The devices help explain nearly 90 percent
of all crashes, according to aviation experts.

The devices record information about the speed, altitude and direction of the plane as well as flight crew conversations.

MECHANICAL FAULT

The single-aisle Boeing plane, en route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang
city, is one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial
passenger jets.

Boeing and US National Transportation Safety Board officials have joined
the Indonesian team in sifting through twisted metal plane parts and
piles of passengers' torn clothing, shoes, wallets and phones.

Passengers' remains are being sent to hospital for DNA identification,
with the first funeral for one of the passengers held on Thursday.

But many other victims have yet to be found and there are hopes more can
be recovered in the bulk of the wreckage, including those who may still
be strapped to their seats.

Lion Air's admission that the jet had a technical issue on a previous
flight - as well its abrupt fatal dive - have raised questions about
whether it had mechanical faults such as a speed-and-altitude system
malfunction.

The accident has resurrected concerns about Indonesia's poor air safety
record which until recently saw its carriers facing years-long bans from
entering European Union and US airspace.

Indonesia has had nearly 40 fatal aviation accidents in the past 15 years, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

Lion Air, Indonesia's biggest budget carrier, has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash.

In 2014, an AirAsia crash in the Java Sea during stormy weather killed 162 people.